Baby Bandito – Netflix Series Review

BABY BANDITO on Netflix is a new true crime-inspired series from Chile. It’s in Spanish but made in the vein of the Swedish Netflix series CLARK. Both fast-paced and fun, while covering a serious subject. Read our full Baby Bandito series review here!

BABY BANDITO is a new Netflix series from Chile. While it is based on an actual crime, calling it “true crime” outright is a bit too much. To its credit, the series also makes this very clear at the beginning of the episodes. The true story part is that it was inspired by a heist that took place in Chile in 2014.

Also, the main character and real thief both have the first name Kevin. While this series is from Chile and  Spanish-language, it reminded me a lot of the Swedish Netflix series CLARK. Both are extremely fast-paced and honest about taking storytelling liberties. Also, they use comedy while covering the serious subject of crime.

Continue reading our Baby Bandito series review below. Find all 8 episodes on Netflix from January 31, 2024.

Inspirered by a real heist

The inspiration for the new Netflix series comes from a heist that took place in Chile in 2014. It’s called “The Heist of the Century” so it should come as no surprise that it inspired a crazy story.

We meet Kevin Tapia (Nicolás Contreras) as his life takes a very unexpected turn. No, not into a life of crime, but rather because he falls in love with Genesis (Francisca Armstrong). She’s a young woman who has lived a more privileged life, so Kevin wants to be better for her.

Or, you know, richer!

As it’s described in the plot for the series, Kevin is risking it all for love, as the skateboarder comes up with a plan to acquire a fortune. The fact that this includes stealing a plan from some gangsters known as the “Butchers” makes it a very risky way to get rich fast.

On the run – and on social media

He manages to steal a fortune which results in him becoming the most wanted fugitive in the country. With their new wealth, Kevin and Genesis live a life of extreme danger as both the law and the gangsters are on their trail. As revealed by Kevin in the opening scene of the series, they go to Rome where he’s known as “Il Baby Bandito”.

While the heist is the starting point of this crazy life, it does become more about what money does to a person. Especially what it does to relationships with old friends and how many find it impossible to not flaunt their newfound wealth on social media.

Not smart, when you’re on the run!

The Baby Bandito true story

This new Netflix series makes it very obvious that it’s a fictional dramatization rather than a fact-based true crime production. In fact, every episode opens with this disclaimer, which is served with the tongue-in-cheek vibe of the series.

The exact wording is: “Based on real events” and then “Modified for your convenience and ours”.

A bold and honest way of introducing a series of this kind. However, the translation of the Spanish wording is a bit off. The word “inspirada” is used in Spanish which makes it “Inspired by real events” rather than “based on”. A small change, but one that implies two different levels of fact-based storytelling.

Having said this, Baby Bandito is built around a very real heist that took place in Chile in 2014. The real-life person behind the heist was Kevin Olguín Sepulveda, who was also known as “Niño de oro” [Golden Boy].

While disguised as airport employees, eight people managed to get access to an armored vehicle transporting cash. It was at Santiago’s international airport with money that was to be transported to northern Chile. Airport rules meant security personnel were unarmed, so the thieves completed the heist without a shot being fired.

They got away with an amount of around $10.5 million. Not bad for a skater, who went on to become an international fugitive before getting caught in Barcelona in 2016.

Watch the Baby Bandito series on Netflix now!

The directors of the episodes of this Netflix series are Julio Jorquera Arriagada, Fernando Guzzoni, and Pepa San Martín. I am not familiar with their previous work, but all three have several credits to their name already.

The soundtrack for this Chilean Netflix series is full of awesome Spanish-language hits from the past decades. I found myself enjoying the musical trip down memory lane with songs like “Gasolina“.

The series has 8 episodes with a runtime of around 35 to 45 minutes each. Watch the entire series on Netflix if you enjoy crime thrillers (whether based on true crime or not). This series is perfect for anyone who enjoyed the Netflix series Clark. I didn’t find it quite as funny and entertaining, but it works well.

The Baby Bandito series is on Netflix from January 31, 2024.

Details

Directors: Julio Jorquera Arriagada, Fernando Guzzoni, Pepa San Martín
Screenwriters: Valeria Hoffman, Diego Muñoz, Luis Pérez, Juan Andrés Rivera
Cast: Nicolás Contreras, Francisca Armstrong, Pablo Macaya, Carmen Zabala, Lukas Vergara